“And what said Miriam then?”

“She liked it not well.  Sullen, brooding hatred had gained possession of her and of Long Robin.  As Esther and some of the tribe had learned to forgive Trevlyn for the sake of Wyvern, those twain and a few others had come to hate Wyvern for their alliance with Trevlyn.

“All this I have been told by Esther.  I was not born till after the treasure had been stolen—­born when my mother had long ceased to look for offspring, and had no love for the infant thrust upon her care.  I was taken from my infancy by Esther, who trained me up, with the consent of all the tribe, to take her place as their queen when I should have grown to womanhood.  Esther loved not the roving life of the forest; she had other wishes for herself.  She practised divination and astrology and many dark arts, and wished a settled place of abode for herself when she could leave the tribe.  She brought me up and taught me all I knew; and she has told me all she knows about that strange night on which the treasure of Trevlyn was taken—­and lost!”

“Lost—­lost by the Trevlyns truly; but surely thou dost not mean that they who stole it lost it likewise!”

Joanna’s dark eyes were fixed.  She seemed to be looking backwards to a far-distant time.  Her voice was low and monotonous as she proceeded with her tale.

“The years had flown by since Miriam and Long Robin had divided themselves from the tribe; and they had long since returned, though still keeping aloof in part from the rest—­still forming, as it were, a separate party of their own.  Long Robin had dealings with the robbers of the King’s highway; he often accompanied them on their raids, he and some of the men with him.  The tribe began to have regular dealings with the freebooters, as thou hast seen.  They come to us for shelter and for food.  They divide their spoil with us from time to time.  Since the hand of all men has been against us, our hands have been raised freely against the world.  Our younger men all go out to join the highwaymen.  We are friends and brothers, and the wronged and needy resort to us, and are made welcome.”

Joanna threw back her proud head as though rejoicing in this lawless freedom; and then giving herself a little moment for recollection, she returned to the main course of her narrative.

“It was easy for us gipsies, roving hither and thither and picking up the news from travellers on the road, to know all that was going on about us and in the world beyond.  We had scouts all over the forest.  We knew everything that passed; and when the treasure was borne in the dead of night from Trevlyn Chase, and hidden beneath the giant oak in the forest, we knew where and wherefore it was so hidden, and the flame of vengeance long deferred leaped into Miriam’s eyes.